The digital transformation agenda creates a new role for HR

A huge amount has been written about how digital technologies are remaking entire industries and even society itself. Clearly the IT and marketing departments are important players in this shift.

However, there is also a very significant role for HR to play in this transformation, particularly as organisations seek to become truly digital and social.

HR professionals are uniquely positioned to be leaders in creating digital ecosystems built around people, processes and technologies. These ecosystems enable the workforce to collaborate more effectively and provide the opportunity to fundamentally change the way we work.

The involvement of HR is so crucial because this transformation requires the acquisition of new skills and changes in work practices and organisational thinking. In essence it's about creating a cultural shift.

There are a number of practical measures HR can take to support an organisation's quest to become more digital.

The first step is to understand the business' current digital status and set a strategy for improvement. It's also an opportunity to identify those with strong digital skills who can share their knowledge with colleagues.

Next it is about communication, education and providing incentives. Make sure the workforce understands the organisation's digital strategy and ensure educational resources are available to those who need to improve their digital expertise.

These steps lay the foundation for bridging the digital divide between business leaders and digital natives. Most organisations already employ natural digital natives, but they may be in more junior positions as they tend to be relatively new to the workforce.

They are generation Y, classified as those born between 1980 and 2000. They tend to have an affinity with digital and social media as they've grown up with it. However, they have quite different priorities to older workers.